


it's the end of the line (why do i have to say goodbye)

by BookRockShooter



Category: Avengers: Endgame - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Character Death, Enjoy!, Heavy Angst, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Minor Swearing, SPOILER ALERT!, Steve Rogers Dies, and Bucky is right there next to him, idk i wanted to write stevebucky and This is what happened :), loosely based on theories and the comics i think??, meant to take place in endgame, steve is dying and asks bucky to take over for him basically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-21 07:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18139004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookRockShooter/pseuds/BookRockShooter
Summary: Bucky is with Steve during his final moments.//*meant to take place in "Endgame" but honestly idk I just wanted to write angst*





	it's the end of the line (why do i have to say goodbye)

**Author's Note:**

> wow my first stevebucky fic and it's angst! I,, actually think this is the first time I've written character death?? idk it was pretty painful tbh
> 
> anyway yeah i started writing this like last month and was suddenly Inspired to finish it yesterday and this is what was produced so hopefully it's enjoyable?? somewhat?? sksks
> 
> also i apologize in advance if they're ooc, i've never really written them before oof; but yeah! hopefully this does as i intended and makes someone sad sksksk
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> (and shout out to my soft squad for being excited to read this sksksk uwu <3 )

"Buck, Bucky," he's saying, reaching out a pair of trembling hands towards Bucky, who's staring down at him, body numb with horror.

"Stevie," he chokes out, falling forward until he's only an inch or two from Steve's face, holding himself up by his arms. "Steve, you fucking idiot, what did you _do_ -"

His oldest friend reaches out again, flailing until his hands are cupping Bucky's face. He rubs his thumbs against Bucky's roughened skin, smiling in a way that shouldn't be so beautiful and yet so painful. "Bucky," he says, not quite panicking anymore, "Bucky, I'm dying."

Bucky's already shaking his head, all too aware of the bullshit Steve is going to pull. "Stop being dramatic," he says, nearly wheezing the words, reaching out one hand to brush through Steve's hair. It's dirty and tangled but Bucky brushes it out anyway, the action familiar, having been done hundreds of times over hundreds of lifetimes. "You're fine," he adds, voice breaking.

"Okay, I know I've said it a lot before," Steve admits, coughing out a strangled laugh, "but- but this time I really think I am dying."

"Shut the hell up, dumbass," Bucky demands, leaning down so as to press their foreheads together. Being closer to Steve right now is painful, because when he's this close, he swears he can actually see the deep blue of his eyes turning dark with death, fading from the beautiful ocean shade they've been for the past hundred years. "You're fine. You're fine." His hands keep carding through that blond hair.

Steve blinks, and even that looks painful. "Bucky," he murmurs, the slight humor gone now, his eyes going unfocused. Bucky can barely hear the battle raging behind them, he's so intently focused on Steve. "Bucky, I need you to do something for me, Buck, please."

"Anything, Steve, I'll do anything if only you keep going," he says, closing his own eyes for a brief moment. This doesn't feel real; none of it feels real. "But if you die, I ain't doing anything."

Steve's lips flicker upwards for a moment. "Bucky," he says, “I need you–” He stops to cough something awful, hacking into his hand until his lips are stained red. Bucky wipes away the blood with his thumb, but it’s useless; they both know it. “I– I need you to– to help them. Lead them, Bucky, after I’m gone. The Avengers– they’re gonna need you. P-… please, Bucky. Lead them… as Captain America.”

Bucky remembers, suddenly, a bar that held him and his friends, a hundred years ago. He’s sitting next to a newly superhero’d Steve, who he asks, stupidly, if he’s keeping that damn suit. It seemed like such a small detail then, Steve wearing that thing, but now that he’s here, in this damned situation that can’t have a good outcome no matter how hard he hopes, it seems much, much bigger.

Because he can’t. He can’t wear that suit; he can’t be Captain America; he can’t take what’s Steve’s, because Steve is going to need the suit and the title when they get out of this battle. Because Steve is going to survive this, whether he likes it or not. Because Bucky isn’t sure what he’ll do if he doesn’t.

“No,” he hears himself whisper, resisting the urge to shake Steve and ask _what the hell is wrong with you_. “No, Stevie, I c-… I can’t do that. I can’t. That’s your job, Steve, not mine, I can’t–”

Steve reaches up to hold Bucky’s face again, this time with only one hand; the other one lies on the ground, trembling against Bucky’s own. He smiles softly, trembling fingers flicking away tears that Bucky barely feels roll down his face.

“You can,” Steve murmurs, but it comes out as more of a murmur, now. He’s growing even weaker, Bucky realizes in horror, and he bites back a harsh sob. “You… you can,” Steve insists hoarsely, “you can, because you’re Bucky, okay? You’re my Bucky, and… and I love you, and I… I know you can do it, Buck, I kn… know you can.”

“Stevie,” Bucky says, almost gasping, as he carefully moves Steve’s head closer to his own until they’re touching foreheads again. Steve barely winces, too tired to even notice that he’s being jostled around. “Stevie, sweetheart, please don’t go, I can’t lose you again and I can’t do– I can’t do this without you, Steve, please–”

Steve tugs his face down even closer until their lips are touching so, so lightly that Bucky wonders if he’s imagining it. “Bucky,” he whispers, his breath trembling against Bucky’s dry lips, “you… can do it. I know you can. You can, Bucky. Lead them when I’m gone.”

“God, I fucking hate you,” Bucky sobs, no longer able to hold anything back. He presses against Steve’s mouth again, thinking, wildly, that maybe he can perform some miracle kiss of life or whatever the hell to keep Steve here, with him, where everyone knows he belongs. “You’re not dyin’ on me today, Steve, don’t you dare.”

“You don’t hate me,” Steve whispers, smiling at Bucky again and completely ignoring the real issue. “I’m… I’m sorry, Buck, I am. But this… this is the end of… of the line.”

It’s a statement. Steve isn’t guessing, isn’t assuming, isn’t looking for a way out. He knows, and Bucky knows, that this is it. It’s the end of Steve Rogers, lying on a battlefield after he spend most of his life fighting for his country, his friends, his family. Steve’s days were numbered, and they’ve finally reached zero.

Still, Bucky wants to deny it, and he opens his mouth to do so, but then Steve kisses him once more, and Bucky reciprocates softly, wondering why fate had to be so cruel and wait until a time like this for them to get their shit together. “I guess you really meant it,” Bucky mumbles against Steve’s lips, and he adds, at Steve’s faintly confused expression, “You really were with me till the end of the line.”

“I feel like… I should be saying that… instead,” Steve says, letting out another coughing laugh. Then he winces, dropping his hand from Bucky’s face to clutch at the wound that Bucky wishes wasn’t there. “Bucky, I–”

“Don’t talk, Stevie,” he murmurs, brushing through Steve’s hair again. “It’s okay. I know. I know. I love you, Steve, I love you so much, I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you again…”

Steve shakes his head and smiles again, his lips trembling at the effort. “No, Bucky, it wasn’t… it wasn’t your fault. Please, go… go help them. I love you.”

Bucky hangs his head, gritting his teeth and hoping that, at the end of all of this, it’s worth it. This had all better be worth it if he’s losing Steve like this. “I’m sorry,” he whispers one more time, voice cracking helplessly. “You deserved so much better, Stevie.”

It takes him a moment to realize that Steve’s eyes had slipped closed when he wasn’t looking, and his body had gone slack. Bucky’s heart is seized by panic and he grabs Steve’s face, cradling it and muttering, “No no _no Steve no please come back to me please_.”

When Steve offers no response, Bucky sobs again and presses his head into his chest, wanting nothing more than for Steve to open those blue eyes of his again and just smile at him, one last time.

After what feels like another century, Bucky finally forces himself to release Steve and push himself back up on his feet. He picks up his gun, grabs Steve’s shield, and turns to join his teammates in battle.

It may be the end of the line for Steve Rogers – and far too soon it is – but it’s not for Bucky, and not for Captain America.

And he will avenge him.

**Author's Note:**

> yeet there's that
> 
> anyway i'm not ready for endgame bc steve is going to d*e and this little thing is me getting my sadness about that out lmao fun times
> 
> so yes i hope you enjoyed and that you're having a nice day/night! <3
> 
> (and if you want you can find me one twitter @/lynsayskick where i'm screaming about mcu and other things)


End file.
